Anyone who is looking to invest in an electricity-generating, on-grid, solar installation for their home or business should know what to expect to have included in the system.
A solar energy system is made up of different components. Each one of these components is vital to giving you the ability to safely generate and transfer electricity back to your local energy company.
Having a system that is hooked into your local electrical grid is the only way that you will receive any financial benefit from your system’s ability to continuously generate electricity.
The Solar Panels and Their Mounting Racks
Almost everyone has seen the ubiquitous, dark-coloured panels mounted on the roofs of buildings throughout the world. They fare the first step in generating electricity that can eventually be channelled back to a local power grid.
These solar panels contain photodiodes, which trigger the photovoltaic effect of turning sunlight into electricity. Solar panels are rated by watts. They are manufactured to produce from 10 to 300 watts, depending on size and usage requirements.
The solar panels are mounted in a series called an ‘array’. The arrays are positioned using either a roof-mounted rack (the most popular option), on a pole mounted in the ground or directly on the ground itself.
In certain areas the mounting options are limited by building and housing codes.
The Chain of Electrical Components
The solar panels transfer direct-current (DC) electricity to the Array DC Disconnect unit. This component simply serves as a disconnect point from the solar panels to the other components in case there is a need for maintenance or replacement.
The Inverter is the next link in the chain. As the solar panels transfer DC power only, this power needs to be converted to alternating current (AC), which is what is used in most household electrical applications.
The kilowatt meter, also known as the power meter or utility meter, is next in line. It serves as the gateway between the home solar installation and the local electrical grid. It measures the amount of power being transferred either out of or into the local grid in kilowatt hours.
The Circuit Breaker Panel controls the amount of power flowing from the power source to your household electrical circuits. It prevents any power surges from damaging your electrical appliances.
A Qualified Solar Company Can Answer Any Questions about Solar Components
Enviren Solar is a fully qualified solar company who are happy to answer any and all questions you may have about any of the components we’ve listed. We can also tell you what an off-grid, electricity-generating solar system requires.
We have teams of installers that have undergone intensive training and development into all aspects of solar technology. If you need solar power or solar hot-water solutions, give us a call for a consultation or a free site assessment.
We’ll be able to recommend the solar solution that meets your needs.